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a migrant sex offender Who was it mistakenly released from prison He was paid £500 to leave Britain in a huge mistake, it has emerged.
home Secretary Shabana Mehmood He said he shared the public’s anger Hadush Kebatu’s The release was bungled and “every effort” was made to remove him from British soil – but revelations about the cash payments are likely to spark further outrage.
pelted stones, who was forcibly sent back to Ethiopia He was given a £500 payout after threatening to disrupt his deportation flight, with a team of five escorting him on the flight on Tuesday night.
Downing Street said on Wednesday the payment was an “operational decision” and came after officials rejected Kebatu’s application for a scheme which in the past has offered up to £1,500 in resettlement grants.
The government said the alternative was a “slower and more expensive process”, which could have involved further detention, a new flight potentially costing thousands of pounds and fighting subsequent legal claims.
in one Interview with Sky News After landing in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Kebatu claimed that he tried to hand himself in the morning after his release, but was “ignored”.
He claimed he told the officers: “I’ll give you my hand. Please help me, where is the police station? Take me, I want.”
Sky News reported that the Metropolitan Police said it was “not aware of any evidence” that supports Kebatu’s claims. It said his actions on the morning of his re-arrest were “like someone who was trying to escape the authorities, not hand himself in”.
The Conservatives have since branded the decision to pay them an “absolute disgrace”.
The government vowed to deport Kebatu after his departure Wrongly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning Instead of being sent to an immigration detention center. The error sparked a two-day manhunt, which ended with his re-arrest in London on Sunday.
Kebatu, who crossed the Channel in a small boat to enter the UK on June 29, was staying at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, when he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman, sparking a wave of protests outside the accommodation used for asylum seekers.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said on Wednesday: “Kebatu was forcibly deported. A team of five escorts was on a flight with Kebatu.
“We rejected their application to a facilitated return scheme, which has offered resettlement grants of up to £1,500 under successive governments.
“However, Kebutu threatened to disrupt the flight, so an operational decision was taken to facilitate its return.”
It is believed that the disturbance also included his attempt to deboard the plane.
comes after this Independent UK revealed in June it has paid £53m to migrants For leaving the country in the last four years.
under a voluntary Return scheme run by the governmentMigrants can receive up to £3,000 as an incentive to return to their home country, known as “assisted return”. Their flights are also paid for as part of the deal.
According to government documents, the Facilitated Returns Scheme was established almost 20 years ago “to facilitate the prompt removal of foreign national offenders (FNOs) to their country of origin”.
Kemi Badenoch’s spokesperson said Britain “needs to leave the ECHR and deport all foreign criminals as soon as possible”.
Asked about the payment, he said, “It’s outrageous and shows just how much this government is screwing up our immigration system.”
On Wednesday morning, Border Security Minister Alex Norris could not confirm whether Kebatu had received cash payment for his return to Ethiopia.
“I can’t tell you about the cash. I know early on in the process, he asked for it and was rejected… We sometimes do that to make evictions easier because it saves taxpayers money, but I can’t tell in this case”, he told good morning britain,
Prisons have been ordered to launch a series of thorough checks before releasing prisoners following a release bungle, while an independent investigation has been announced to establish what went wrong.
Ms Mahmood said: “Last week’s mistake should never have happened, and I share the public’s anger that it happened. I want to thank the police for swiftly bringing Mr Kebtu into custody, and the public for their vigilance.
“I have done everything possible to deport Mr Kebtu and remove him from British soil. I am pleased to confirm that this despicable child sex offender has been deported. Our streets are safer because of it.
“If you come to this country and commit a crime, we will deport you.”
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said the incident was “unacceptable” and appeared to be the result of “human error”. He added, “We need to get to the bottom of what happened.”
Amid growing public anger over this issue, pressure is increasing on the government to control the number of people coming to Britain through small boats.
The government’s handling of the issue and accommodation of asylum seekers in hotels led to public discontent. summer protest waveThis also led to criticism from Labour’s political opponents. The number of people crossing the Channel reached a record high this year,